1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a safety lock for use in a firearm. In particular, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention relates to a lock that is integrally connected to the firing pin safety so as provide an efficient integral firearms safety lock mechanism.
2. Background
In recent years, due to an increase in the number injuries and deaths resulting from accidental gun discharges, many organizations are looking for solutions to reduce and eliminate these incidences. Moreover, the trend of injuries and deaths has been of an increasing concern since many of the incidences occur with children.
Manual safeties are provided on many firearms available today. The manual safeties provide a way for a firearm user to manually actuate a switch located on the firearm to prevent an unexpected firing of the firearm. The safety can prevent a firearm from discharging in a situation where it is mishandled while, being holstered, or jostled when located near a person's body. By actuating the manual safety switch, the firing mechanism of the firearm is blocked so it cannot move to fire a bullet.
However, the use of a manual safety is only recommended as a preventative measure when the firearm is being handled (but not fired) and is not especially helpful to prevent unauthorized use of the firearm. For example, if the firearm is placed in the hands of a person inexperienced in firearm handling (e.g., a child), the child could accidentally or otherwise release the manual safety of the firearm thereby enabling the firing of the firearm by actuation of the trigger.
There continues to be a need for a mechanism to prevent unauthorized use of a firearm. In response to this need as well as to recent laws requiring a locking mechanism, firearm safety locks have been proposed to solve this problem and to provide an additional, manner of locking a firearm. A firearm lock provides the specific advantage that it can only be actuated by a unique key associated with the lock, and unauthorized users (e.g., thieves, children, or the like) are unable to inadvertently or purposefully unlock the firearm.
Many types of firearm safety locks have been provided in order to ensure safety. For example, some safety locks can be inserted into a portion of a firearm to prevent the firearm from firing. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,725,592 to Reed, a non-integral firearm safety lock is inserted into a firearm's firing chamber ejector and loading port, and is expanded and locked to prevent the weapon from being fired. Once the firearm safety lock is inserted into the firearm's open chamber, a key is used to expand a locking plate that is forced downward, fills and seals the loading port, which disables the weapon. While this type of lock secures the weapon, there is an inordinate amount of manual manipulation required to actually lock the firearm.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,470 to Strahan discloses an integral firearm safety lock that employs a locking element formed to directly prevent the firing pin from moving to strike a bullet. While the locking of the firearm is simpler than the lock described above, there are several disadvantages to employing this locking element that is in direct contact with the firing pin. For example, when employing a screw to lock the firing pin, as Strahan does, there is no certainty that a manual action (rotation of the screw) will lock the device. In other words, a person can attempt to lock the device, by rotating the screw, and feel that the device has been locked, when in actuality, the screw has not actually contacted the firing pin to prevent firing. What is needed is an integral firearm lock that provides maximum protection as well as certainty of locking.